Motorized roller shade systems include a flexible shade fabric windingly received on a roller tube. The roller tube is supported for rotation about a central axis and is driven by a drive system motor to wind the shade fabric.
Roller shade systems having separate roller tubes secured together for simultaneous rotation are known. The roller tubes are rotatably supported such that the central axes of the tubes are substantially aligned. The tubes of known shade roller systems are fastened together to transfer rotation of one of the tubes, provided by the drive system motor, to the other one of the tubes.
The space occupied by the fastening elements securing roller tubes of known shade systems creates a gap between the ends of the tubes. A corresponding gap, therefore, is also created between the associated shade fabrics wound onto the roller tubes. Reduction in the space occupied by the tube fastening structure in a multiple-tube shade system, therefore, is desirable for limiting potential light gaps between shade fabrics supported by the tubes.
The assembly of the fastening structure for multiple-tube shade systems can be difficult and time-consuming, and may require the use of a specific tool, or tools. Also, the steps involved in fastening the tubes, and in mounting the multiple-tube roller shade to its supporting structure, may render assembly and installation of the roller shade impractical or impossible in applications where only limited clearance is provided.
When position adjustment of one of the shade fabrics of a known multiple-tube shade system is desired, either the tubes must be unfastened to allow for relative rotation between the tubes or the shade fabric must be removed from the associated tube and re-attached. The procedures and time required for unfastening the tubes of a known multiple-tube shade system, therefore, tends to deter a user from adjusting shade position by unfastening the tubes. A multiple-tube shade system having a construction that facilitates uncoupling of the tubes for relative rotation to adjust shade fabric position is desired.